Tianguis: Official cites growth and future plans

ACAPULCO, Mexico -- Last year was a good one for Mexico's tourism
industry, according to officials at Tianguis Turistico, the annual
national tourism convention held here April 18 to 21.

But challenges still exist as the government confronts the
realities of a neighbor at war and competition from other
destinations.

In 2003, Mexico's tourism sector revenues reached more than $9.4
billion, a 6.8% increase from 2002, as per official figures.
According to Rodolfo Elizondo Torres, the nation's secretary of
tourism, this puts Mexico in 10th place worldwide in tourism sector
revenues, up from 13th in 2002.

Elizondo said that "tourist arrivals and revenue in the country
... show growth that allows us to be optimistic," but noted that
"our optimism must be in moderation ... we are aware that last year
we were in a period before the Iraq war."

To continue the increase in arrivals, Elizondo said, the country
must develop new strategies and build upon its existing
strengths.

Among the developments he said he would like is to make travel
easier within Mexico, with more regional air service, as part of a
plan to encourage foreigners to visit more than one region during
their vacations.

Elizondo also said that courting the Mexican-American market and
developing more tourist attractions close to the U.S. border should
be priorities.

"We have made the effort ... to do a study of the border regions
of our country, which has yielded some important data," Elizondo
said. "The most important is ... [that] none of the border
destinations consider themselves tourist destinations, or rather,
there isn't the concept, not even in Tijuana, that they are or
could be important tourist destinations."

One strategy for developing tourism close to the border is a
plan by Fonatur, Mexico's tourist development agency, to promote
new tourist routes in the north, and construct new port and marina
facilities in several locations along the Sea of Cortez.

"We have the competitive advantage of being a country that is
unique, diverse and hospitable," Elizondo said, adding later that
another advantage is safety, which he said is a major consideration
today for travelers from the U.S., Canada and Europe.

"Mexico has no history in terms of terrorism, and I hope we
never will. From my point of view, that will make more
international tourists return to Mexico. We consider the [tourism
arrival] numbers that we're seeing a direct reflection of this
variable in the travel decisions of international tourists."

This year, Tianguis attracted 2,100 participants, including 902
buyers from 31 countries, according to officials.